Archives for September 2016

Four Cabrini High Students have been selected for the District Honors Chorus.

Cabrini High School seniors Alexis Breaux, Holly Ferrari, Isabella Wallace, and junior Amanda Sisung have been accepted into the Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA) District Senior High Honors Chorus after auditions at Brother Martin High School.

The four Cabrini students were among approximately 50 students who auditioned for all parts including Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. In January they will attend choral master classes and perform at a no-charge public concert, February 5, at 1:30 pm at Roussell Hall on the Loyola University campus.

Alexis Breaux also qualified to audition for a position in the LMEA All-State Honor Chorus by virtue of her being in the top 5 of her First Alto audition in the New Orleans District competition. She will compete in the second round audition with First Altos from around the state. Judges of the District auditions were prominent local choral conductors who have no participants in the auditions.

In recognition of The Jubilee Year of Mercy, the administration and staff of Cabrini of Westchester have been organizing monthly acts of Mercy to benefit various organizations and plights. For the month of September, Department Heads and their staff created themed baskets, which they raffled off in the lobby.

Family members, visitors, residents, patients and staff participated in the fun event each hoping to be the lucky winner of one of the 16 the beautifully packaged, fun-filled baskets ranging from a meditation basket, food baskets, an electronic basket and a basket of cheer, to name a few!

The event created a lot of excitement and, more importantly, raised close to one thousand dollars for a wonderful cause. Working in collaboration with Cabrini High School in New Orleans, Cabrini of Westchester donated the proceeds of this fundraiser to Denham Springs High School in Baton Rouge of which 80% of the faculty and students were victims of the recent floods in Louisiana.

Since Pope Francis declared the Jubilee Year of Mercy which opened on December 8, 2015, around the world religious communities have been making this year truly extraordinary. Here are just a few of the ways men and women in consecrated life have been expressing the merciful dimension of God during this year:

Religious communities have been using their websites and social media to communicate and convey the Christian concept of mercy. Facebook pages of religious congregations have carried inspirational messages and have suggested concrete actions to express and offer mercy.

Religious congregations are hosting retreats, special days of prayer and reflections, and book discussions on the theme of mercy.

Educational institutions sponsored by religious communities are discussing mercy, praying about it in classrooms and in chapels, and spearheading special works of mercy service projects.

Many religious order priests have become “missionaries of mercy,” priests specially appointed by Pope Francis to be responsible for preaching, teaching and practicing mercy.

Religious communities have ritually opened “holy doors of mercy” in their own chapels, shrines and holy places.

Pope Francis has encouraged all Catholics – ordained, religious and lay – to make a pilgrimage to a designated church or shrine to visit a “holy door of mercy” to better experience God’s mercy through the symbolism of crossing a threshold. There is still time – the Jubilee Year of Mercy will conclude on November 20, 2016. Holy Doors of Mercy have been designated at St. Frances X. Cabrini Shrine in New York City, Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden, CO, and the National Shrine of St. Frances X. Cabrini in Chicago. ~ excerpts from VISION Vocation Guide

The Cabrini Mission Foundation remembered the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks by holding a “Tribute on the Hudson” luncheon yacht cruise. Held aboard the Majestic Princess, guests boarded on Manhattan’s west side and enjoyed a three-hour cruise of New York Harbor.

A memorial program, led by Stella Maris Provincial Sr. Pietrina Raccuglia, MSC and Dr. Lawrence J. Ottaviano, was held while the yacht idled off One World Trade Center. Psalm 46 was read by

Sr. Catherine Garry, MSC and Paul Michels. The highlight of the presentation was a tossing of the memorial wreath by Sr. Frances Xavier Brogan, MSC and the release of 12 live butterflies led by Sr. Tommasina Lanski, MSÇ. These two symbols remembered those who were lost and those who continued to live on after this tragedy. Closing remarks were given by Sr. Diane Olmstead, MSC.

Cabrini Mission Foundation would like to thank all those in attendance, as well as, those who offered their prayers and support of this event.

With Cabrini University welcoming its largest incoming first year class in ten years, on Wednesday, September 7th, an Involvement Fair was held on the Commons on campus. The Involvement Fair is the prime opportunity for recruiting new members to student organizations and leadership roles. The Involvement Fair is hosted each year by the Center for Student Engagement and Leadership (SEaL).

The Cabrini Asylum Seeker and Refugee Health Hub, which was opened officially in May this year, is providing a much needed service in Melbourne filling the gap in healthcare faced by asylum seekers and refugees when they arrive in Australia without income or access to Medicare.

Tracey Cabrie is the Centre Manager for the Cabrini Health Hub

Since June, Cabrini Health has provided medical care to asylum seekers attending the Hub. They come from countries far and wide including Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Ethiopia. Tracey Cabrié, Centre Manager says that the Hub provides a weekly GP clinic and a weekly psychiatry clinic and that clients undergo nursing assessments on the other days.

“We were able to employ quite quickly, within a month we had two nurses and an admin assistant,” says Tracey. “While getting the core team together, we’ve been promoting our service to GP networks, referring agencies and the broader asylum seeker and refugee sector.”

The hub’s medical clinics are provided by a pro bono workforce who is passionate about working with asylum seekers. So far, three psychiatrists and eight GPs have been accredited to work at the hub, with another five who are interested and currently going through the credentialing process.

The hub operates on a nurse-led model of care for assessment, triaging and case management. When clients are referred to the hub, the nurse triages them and prioritizes their health needs, works closely with the GP with respect to the care required and facilitates referrals to other community health services such as dental or obstetric care.

Bernadette Flanagan, Practice Nurse, joined the team at the beginning of June and is passionate about the nurse-led model.

“First, we undertake a refugee health assessment, and we find out as much about their current and past medical history as we can,” says Bernadette. “Our patients may have been in camps or detention and many do not have medical paperwork from their past. We get an idea of where they have come from, their current health needs and what is important initially for them. After they are assessed by a nurse, they are seen by a GP to manage a priority list of their health needs.”

Cabrini is supporting asylum seekers seeking Australia’s protection. At the moment, clients come via referral from caseworkers or agencies that are working with asylum seekers. The priority of access is no Medicare card and no income. We expect more clients to come once word about the hub spreads in the asylum seeker community. “We’ve established a pharmaceutical program with Brunswick Pharmacy, which enables clients with no income to access medications at no cost to them. Clients are provided with pharmacy waivers and Cabrini is invoiced for the cost,” said Tracey.

The State of Louisiana continues to deal with the significant [aftermath] of flooding and one of the worst natural disasters in recent years. ~ USA Today

More than 7 trillion gallons of water fell in Louisiana and Mississippi over eight days in August. The toll so far: 13 lives lost, an estimated $110 million in agricultural losses and 100,000 homes destroyed or damaged. ~ The Times-Picayune

The Cabrinian Neighborly Spirit

Alumna and Head Volleyball coach Kasey Laird ’08 brought members of the Cabrini Volleyball team to Baton Rouge on Sunday to help families and gut houses from the flooding.

Head Basketball Coach Nancy Walsh took the Cabrini Basketball Team, along with Kirk Maronge, Athletic Director and faculty member, Maureen Walsh up to Baker, LA to gut a house and help in the clean up efforts for those who were affected by the flood waters. Coach Walsh will be returning to help with relief effort this weekend.

Cabrini High School Principal Yvonne Hrapmann (Orleans) and Campus Minister Laura Arand (Orleans) recently attended the 2016 Summer Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership at Loyola University sponsored by the Loyola Institute for Ministry (LIM). Presenters included Fr. Fred Kammer, S.J. on Catholic Social Teachings and LIM Director, Dr. Thomas Ryan on Pope Francis and the Spirituality of Encounter.

Mrs. Hrapmann shared, “The institute was an informative experience that both affirmed our work and challenged us to go deeper into practical applications and theological reflection.”

Ms. Arand said, “My favorite portion of LIM was when we talked about the Spirituality of Encounter. I feel like I do this sometimes without even thinking when I am with the girls at Cabrini; encouraging them to constantly search, step out of their comfort zone, and see Christ in the beauty around them. This affirmed what I do as a Campus Minister, naturally modeling and sparking spirituality because of my closeness and realness with them.”

On Friday, August 26th, approximately 350 first-year students moved into their residence halls, attended a Matriculation Ceremony, began the three-day New Student Orientation, and enjoyed a campus picnic with their families and new classmates.

In the morning, new students moved into Xavier, East, and Woodcrest Halls, the latter of which has been newly renovated with a handicapped-accessible ramp, new flooring, a fresh coat of paint, new furniture, and perhaps the most exciting addition: air-conditioning units.

With 150 student volunteers, incoming students and their families had plenty of help hauling refrigerators, televisions, and coffeemakers into residence hall rooms.

In the morning all first year students and their families, along with faculty and staff, were invited to a Welcoming Mass.

Later in the day, new students were formally enrolled as members of the Cabrini community at the Matriculation Ceremony, an academic tradition from the 15th and 16th centuries that signals the joint commitment of Cabrini to the enrolling student and of the student to the mission and culture of the University.

During the ceremony, Cabrini presents the official register in which entering students will sign their names.

All students are wished a productive and successful new academic year.